Improvement in steam-boiler furnace-draught regulators



PATENT EErOEG THOMAS H. MOORE, OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-BOILER FURNACE-DRAUGHT REGULATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,398, dated November28, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAs H. MOORE, of the city and county ofAlexandria and State of Virginia, have invented a new and usefulAutomatic Draught-Regulator and Gas-Burner; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereon-sufficientto enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains tofully understand and to make and use the saine, reference being had tothe accompanying forming part of this speciiication, and in which-Figure l is a longitudinal central sectional view ofthe smoke-arch and aportion of a boiler embodying my improvement, and Fig. 2 is a front viewof the same, the door and head-plate being removed. l

The subject of this invention is adraught-regulator and gas-burner,principally intended for use in locomotives, but applicable and usefulin all boilers where artificial draught is employed.

In locomotives as heretofore constructed the difficulty of securing andmaintaining a proper and uniform draught, and of preventing the escapeof heat and gas, have proved serious defects. The draught has beenmainly carried near the bottom of the iire-box through the lower portionof the mass of burning fuel, while the draught should be principallyrdirected over the top of the re in order to secure the greatest ei'ect.

Then again, a large proportion of the heat from the re has been allowedto escape through the smoke-stack, thus not only being wasted, butburning out the damper, spark-arrester, and other exposed parts in avery short space of time. Much of the gas has been permitted to passfrom the furnace and find an exit at the stack because there has beennothing, or, at best, insufficient appliances, to check its progress andkeep it where it must ignite and be consumed.

The object of my invention is to avoid the defects referred to by meansof appliances which shall be automatic 5 and to this end it consists ina partition situated in the smoke-arch between the front flue-sheet andthe exhaust-pipes, and provided with openings which are 'covered byvalves, the said valves being so applied as to open and closeautomatically under the action of the exhaust. It also consists in theprovision, in combination with the above, of a door covering the upperpart ofthe partition, and operated from the house by means of suitableconnections for permitting the outward passage of smoke when the lire isiirst started and when the en gine is not in motion. Finally, theinvention consists in a deiiector secured to the rear side of theperforated partition, and extending backward and inclined downwardnearly or quite to the front flue-sheet, just above the upper iiues,whereby a direct' draught through the iiues and the openings in thepartition is created.

I will now proceed to describe the invention in detail.

Referring to the drawing, in which similar letlers of reference indicatelike parts in the two figures, A represents the smoke-arch; B, the frontnue-sheet; C, the fines, D, the exhaustpipes 5 and E, the stack of alocomotive. a at may represent the pipes which conduct steam to thesteam-chests, which, with the cylinders and valve-boxes, are shown inFig. 2. F may represent the iron fra-me of the locomotive. As all the-separts are or may be of the ordinary construction, they will need nofurther description here. My invention necessitates no change in theseparts, except, perhaps, in some instances, a slight enlargement ofthespace between the exhaust-pipes and front flue-sheet. Between theexhaust-pipes and front nue-sheet is tightly fitted a partition, G,provided with a number of openings, b, fitted with valve c opening intothe smoke-arch. These valves may be of various kinds, but must becapable ofautomatic operation. I have shown circular plates of metalsecured, in some cases, by means of springs d, and in others hinged, asat c, so as to fall by gravity. If desired, ball or cup-valves workingin cages may be employed. The valves c may be hung vertically, as shown,or they may be iitted on inclined seats and ground. In the upper part ofthe partition G is an opening, j', rather larger than the orifices b,and provided with a door, g, which, in practice, is arranged withsuitable connections to be operated from the house.` To the rear side ofthe partition may be secured a deiiector, h, extending entirely across,as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and backward, as seen in Fig. l, toor nearly to the front flue-sheet, and inclined downward to a point justabove the upper 'line of nues. This deflector prevents the gases andsmoke from rising to the upper part of the space between the partitionand flue-sheet, Which would make it more difcult to draw the sainethrough the openings in the partition.

Thev operation is as follows, viz.: Vhen the fire is started the door gis opened to permit the escape of the smoke toward and into the stack.This door is kept open until steam is generated and the engine is put inmot-ion. As the exhaust now commences its action there is no furtherneeessity for keeping the door g open, and it is accordingly closed. Ateach action of the exhaust creating a vacuum or partial vacuum in thesmoke-arch the valves covering the openings in the partition G will allopen to a certain extent, according to the strength of the exhaust, thusmaintaining a uniform draught through the flues and directly over thetop of the fire. It is known there is very little smoke except whenfresh fuel is supplied, and this smoke escapes when the valves c areopen. As the exhaust ceases the valves close instantly, either bygravity or by the elasticity of the spring connection, as the case maybe, and this reaction throws back the gas into the furnace, where it isignited and consinned, air being supplied in the usual manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The valves c, adapted to open and close automatically under theaction ofthe exhaust, and operating to regulate the draught and preventthe escape of gas from the furnace, substantially as described.

2. A partition, G, situated between the front Hue-sheet and the exhaustpipes, and provided with openings covered by valves adapted to open andclose automatically under the action of the exhaust, substantially asherein described, for the purpose specified.

3. In combinations with openings and valves b c in the partition G, anopening, f, in the upper part of said partition, and provided with adoor, g, arranged and opera-ting substantially as described, for thepurpose specied.

4. A deiiector, 7L, constructed and arranged. substantially as shown anddescribed, with relation to the partition G, its openings and valves,and the Hue-sheet and lues, for the purpose set forth. y

To the above specification of my invention I have signed my name this18th day of May, 1871.

THOS. H. MOORE.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. Ro'rHWELL, EDM. F. BROWN.

